The Light Side
The light side of the Force, also commonly known as the Ashla by ancient Force-sensitives on Tython, or simply the Force, was the side of the Force aligned with honesty, compassion, mercy, self-sacrifice, and other positive emotions. For the most part, the Jedi simply referred to this as the Force. Definition : "It is not simply enough to know the light…a Jedi must feel the tension between the two sides of the Force…in himself and in the universe." : ―Thon : The largest group of proponents and teachers of the light side were the Jedi Order, who strove to maintain peace and justice throughout the galaxy. The Jedi were well aware of the dangers of the dark side of the Force and were dedicated opponents of its use, as it represented corruption and a disregard for the natural order of the universe. The dark side was considered the domain of the Sith, whom the Jedi attempted to destroy in order to keep the Force in balance. The Force played a large part in the Jedi use of a lightsaber, giving them the ability to foresee events in the future, giving the impression of heightened awareness and amazingly quick reflexes that kept them from accidentally injuring themselves in combat and allowing them to perform other feats, such as using a lightsaber to deflect incoming blaster fire. A Jedi would use the Force to help in the construction of their lightsaber, both to assemble its intricate component pieces and, initially, to charge its power cell. With experience, there were a seemingly infinite number of things a Jedi could achieve through use of the light side. This did not only apply to Jedi, of course, but indeed any Force-sensitive. The Jedi used their powers to gain greater knowledge, in contrast to their ancient enemies, the Sith. Whereas the Sith would use their powers to try to rule the galaxy, the Jedi would use their power to fight in its defense and to guide its direction, although this difference did not always appear so clear-cut. Many people were distrustful of the Jedi Order's great influence on the leaders of the Old Republic. Nature of the light side The light side of the Force was aligned with happiness, joy, love, and benevolence, or alternatively simply calmness, which some believed nurtured the light side and provided insight into its ethical uses. It was generally concerned with the ideas of good, generosity, healing, and wisdom, as opposed to evil, harm, and hasty judgment. In order to achieve harmony with the light side of the Force, its practitioners would often meditate to clear themselves of emotion; particularly negative emotions such as aggression, anger, and hatred, since these were shown to open a Jedi to the possibility of acceptance of the dark side. Predictably, this offered several contradictory instances, with some works favoring a calm, emotionless and sometimes even out-rightly unfeeling view of the light side, while others aligned it with positive emotions. The light side was treated as being both a form of impersonal intelligence and an essence of good. According to the self-aware interpretation, the light side was held to actively influence events to the degree that some Jedi thought of themselves as mere "tools" of the Force. Though this implied a lack of choice regarding an individual's fate, the Jedi, as leading proponents of the light side, insisted that it was, rather, "the ultimate free will." This they explained as being because the Force (at least the light side) did not compel anyone. A destiny could be accepted or spurned. And all choices along the way were free to make. Since Ashla was also the name of the Force itself, before referring only to the light side, it could mean that the light side is also the "normal" nature of the Force. This view was not shared by the Potentium followers who, according to Jedi orthodoxy (which labels it a misinterpretation) stated that since the Force was inherently good, the dark side was not evil, either. While some Sith acknowledged the benevolent qualities of the light side, most did not view it as a force of good, seeing it as either weak and ineffective or as an unnatural repression of emotions and restricting to free will; these often served as their justifications for embracing the dark side. The Je'daii attempted to balance usage of both sides of the Force, believing that wholly submitting oneself to either light or dark was harmful to the individual Force-user. Known light side Force powers and techniques :: The light side of the Force was generally harder to use than the dark side, because force powers specific to the dark side were generally aggressive and easily fueled by anger or hatred. This allowed dark side users to advance faster, but they were not inherently more powerful than the lightsiders. Light side specific Force abilities were virtually all defensive and passive in nature. While there were light-side abilities for increasing one's strength or courage, or incapacitating an enemy, few of them were truly aggressive (notable exceptions include Electric Judgment and Combustion). * Animal friendship :* Battlemind :* Beam of light :* Combustion :* C'rucitorn' :* Electric Judgment :* Force blinding :* Force Enlightenment :* Force healing :* Force Light :* Force orb :* Force Stun :* Force Stasis :* Force valor :* Hibernation Trance :* Malacia :* Mind trick :* Morichro :* Plant Surge :* Sever Force :* Stasis Field :* Wall Of Light Characteristics of light side users Most beings who have used the light side of the Force have known its calming abilities. The Jedi try to maintain calm at all times, even in situations which would normally cause intense stress. They had the ability to calm animals, including people, and increase morale using only their minds. Almost every lightsider felt the tempting call of the dark side of the Force at some time or another, but most used the light side's abilities to restore their normal tranquility. Some Force users that used these abilities are as follows.